Planters of the self-watering variety wherein a reservoir of water is maintained for the plant are known. Many are quite simple devices wherein the reservoir is maintained near or around the bottom of the planter and merely filled by pouring water in at an opening at the bottom while visually watching whether the reservoir is filled. At times, other types of indicators are provided but they are usually at a location remote from the filling area such that the user has to attempt to observe two areas at one time. Once filled, the water from the reservoir is transmitted to the roots of the plant through some conventional means. In some instances, a complex valve arrangement is used such that when the soil becomes too dry, a valve opens and water is transmitted to the plant.
In some types of self-watering planters, water is supplied from the top of the planter to a reservoir at the bottom. In some instances there are no means provided to indicate when the reservoir is filled and thus detrimental overfilling often occurs. In instances when some type of indicator is provided, if it is at the top of the planter, it is usually remote from the fill location and takes up valuable soil space. If it is not remote from the fill location, the turbulence created in the reservoir by the filling action will cause false readings in the indicator again potentially resulting in overfilling.
Furthermore, whenever such a planter is provided with an indicator, and particularly when the indicator is at the top of the planter, it is exposed to being damaged or otherwise rendering false readings by contact from external sources such as the leaves of the plant itself.
In addition, many bottom reservoir planters are constructed as one piece. As such, there is no access to the reservoir and thus no easy way to clean the reservoir to remove mineral deposits or scum which often accumulate in the water reservoir.
Thus, to date, no planter of the self-watering type has been developed which can be economically manufactured with a minimum of parts, and which conveniently give reliable readings of the water level in the reservoir, without taking up valuable soil space, even during the time the reservoir is being filled.